Vacuum packing bag

ABSTRACT

A vacuum bag includes a tubular, flat main body and one or more embossed interposition sheets. The main body has upper and lower portions. The embossed interposition sheets are bonded at both side ends of the main body while being interposed between the upper and lower portions. The one side end of each embossed interposition sheet is bonded region of the upper and lower portions when each embossed interposition sheet is interposed between the upper and lower portions. The embossed interposition sheet may be approximately half or less of the width of the main body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates, in general, to vacuum packing bagsapplied to a vacuum packing apparatus and, more particularly, to avacuum packing bag that is provided with an interposition sheet withpredetermined embossed patterns formed thereon that is attached on theupper and lower packing portions, respectively, whereby it reduces theperiod of time required for the vacuum process therein when comparedwith existing vacuum packing bags and the vacuum state therein isreliably maintained for a substantially long period of time.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Generally, a vacuum packing technique is an art in which food iscontained in a bag and the bag is vacuumized and sealed so as to storethe food for a long period of time by preventing the oxidation of thefood. Although there may be used a technique in which food is stored ina refrigerator at a low temperature, the technique in which food isvacuum-packed so as to avoid the contact of the food with air is moreeffective for storing the food for a long period of time.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional vacuum packingapparatus and a vacuum packing bag applied to the apparatus. FIG. 2 iscross section taken along line A—A of FIG. 1.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional vacuum packingapparatus comprises a base 10, a press cover 20, lower and upper rubberpress members 23 and 24 respectively fixed to the base 10 and the presscover 20, a vacuum pump 25 for vacuumizing the vacuum packing bag 30after the vacuum packing bag 30 is inserted into the space between thebase 10 and the press cover 20, a heater 21 positioned in the base 10 toseal the packing bag 30 by means of heat, and a heater pressing member22.

In accordance with the conventional vacuum packing apparatus, the belowoperation is performed. The vacuum packing bag 30 containing food ispositioned on the lower rubber press member 23 at its open end. Thepress cover 20 is rotated downwardly so that the upper rubber pressmember 23 comes into contact with the lower rubber press member 24. Atthis state, the vacuum pump 25 is operated, so a space formed by thelower and upper rubber press member 23 and 24 is vacuumized. At thistime, if a typical vinyl bag is used, the air in the bag can not bedischarged easily. However, since the vacuum packing bag 30 shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 is entirely embossed on its upper portion, the air in thebag 30 may be easily discharged. After the bag 30 is vacuumized, theheater 21 is activated, so that the bag 30 is sealed at its open end bymeans of heat generated by the heater 21.

However, according to the conventional vacuum packing bag, itsmanufacturing cost is high-priced due to embossments over an entireupper portion, vacuumization is impossible in a case where the embossedportion is ruptured, and powder contents are discharged though theembossments formed on the bag 30 when the contents in the bag arepowder.

In addition, since embossments are entirely formed on the upper portionof the bag, the thickness of the bag is enlarged, thereby causinginconvenience to a user. Since the embossed portion is manufactured bymeans of engaged rollers at high temperature, the embossed portion iseasily damaged in the process of manufacture.

Furthermore, since the embossments are formed on the entire upperportion, there is inconvenience in which trademark or design should beprinted on a flat lower portion prior to the completion of the bag.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind theabove problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the presentinvention is to provide a vacuum packing bag, capable of reducingmanufacturing cost and preventing failure in vacuumization.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum packingbag, capable of preventing the discharge of powder contents, reducingits thickness, allowing a user to see its contents and easily printing atrademark or design on the bag.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention providesa vacuum packing bag comprising a tubular, flat main body and one ormore embossed interposition sheets, the main body consisting of upperand lower portions, and the one side end of the embossed interpositionsheet being bonded along the bonded region of said upper and lowerportions when said embossed interposition sheet being interposed betweenthe upper and lower portions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of thepresent invention will be more clearly understood from the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional vacuum packingapparatus and a vacuum packing bag applied to the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken along line A—A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a vacuum packing apparatus to whicha vacuum packing bag according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention may be applied;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing an expander shown in FIG.3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the vacuum packing bag of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the vacuum packing bag of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 7 is a cross section taken along line B—B of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a vacuum packing apparatus to whicha vacuum packing bag according to a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention may be applied. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showingan expander shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing thevacuum packing bag of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a plan viewshowing the vacuum packing bag of the present invention. FIG. 7 is across section taken along line B—B of FIG. 6.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7, the vacuum packing bag 100 comprises atubular, flat main body and two embossed interposition sheets 103, thetubular, flat main body consists of upper and lower portions 101 and102. Each of the embossed interposition sheets 103 has embossments 103a. The upper and lower portions 101 and 102 are together bonded at theirside ends, a so-called bonded region 104. When each of the embossedinterposition sheets 103 is interposed between the upper and lowerportions 101 and 102, the one side end of said embossed interpositionsheet is bonded along said bonded region 104.

In such a case, each of the embossed interposition sheets 103 ispreferably made of material that may be easily bonded to the upper andlower portions 101 and 102, such as polyethylene(PE), high densitypolyethylene(HDPE) or polypropylene. Therefore, the embossedinterposition sheet 103 is bonded to the upper and lower portions 101and 102 effectively.

The width of each of the embossed interposition sheets 103 is preferablya half of the width of the flat main body or less.

On one surface of the main body is printed at regular intervals thecalendar to indicate the date on which food is packed. That is to say,in one surface of the main body is printed the numeral of 1 to 12 toindicate a month and the numeral of 1 to 31 to indicate a date.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the vacuum packing apparatus to which thevacuum packing bag is applied comprises an electric device box 70containing various electric devices, a base 50 connected to the electricdevice box 70, a press cover 60 rotatably connected to the base 50, avacuum pump (not shown) positioned in electric device box 70, a lowerrubber press member 52 on which an end of the vacuum packing bag ispositioned, an upper rubber press member 62 that may come into contactwith the lower rubber press member 52, a heater positioned in front ofthe lower rubber press member 52 so as to heat portions to be sealed, ofthe bag 100, a heater pressing member 61 positioned in front of theupper rubber press member 62, means (not shown) for moving the heaterpressing member 61, and the expander 80 that may be interposed betweenthe lower and upper rubber press members 52 and 62.

In such a case, as shown in FIG. 4, the expander 80 is a Y-shapedgenerally. The expander 80 comprises upper and lower insertion plates 81and 82, an insertion spring 84, a support plate 83, a support spring 85,and upper and lower pipes 86 and 87. The upper and lower insertionplates 81 and 82 are spaced apart from each other at their first endsand are foldably connected to each other at their second ends. Theinsertion spring 84 is interposed between the upper and lower insertionplates 81 and 82. The support plate 83 is horizontally connected to thesecond ends of the upper and lower insertion plates 81 and 82 at its oneend, and has embossments 80 a at their outer surfaces. The supportspring 85 elastically supports the support plate 83. The upper pipe 86is fixed to the support plate 83 while surrounding the upper and middleportions of the support spring 85. The lower pipe 87 is slidably fittedaround the lower end portion of the upper pipe 86 at its upper endportion and is fixed to the base 50 at its lower end while surroundingthe lower portion of the support spring 85.

Although the heater 51 is positioned in front of the lower rubber pressmember 52 in the drawings, the heater 51 may be positioned behind thelower rubber press member 52.

In accordance with the embodiment, the below operation is performed. TheUpper and lower insertion plates 81 and 82 of the expander 80 areinserted into one open end of the vacuum packing bag 100 containingfood. Thereafter, the press cover 60 is rotated downwardly to the base50, so that the upper rubber press member 52 comes into contact with thelower rubber press member 62. At this state, the vacuum pump isoperated. When the vacuum pump is operated, the heater pressing member61 is upwardly moved a certain distance by means of pressing membermoving means, and at the same time a space sealed by the lower and upperrubber press members 23 and 24 is vacuumized. At this time, although theupper and lower insertion plates 81 and 82 of the expander 80 arewidened by the insertion spring 84, the angle formed by the upper andlower insertion plates 81 and 82 is reduced as the air is discharged.Furthermore, the expander 80 has the embossments 80 a. Therefore, sincegaps exist as before though the lower and upper rubber press member 52and 62 press the vacuum packing bag 100, the air is easily discharged.In addition, when the vacuum packing bag 100 of the present invention isused, the air in the vacuum packing bag 100 is easily discharged becausethe embossed interposition sheets 103 are interposed between the lowerand upper rubber press members 52 and 62. When the pressure in thevacuum packing bag reaches a certain value, the heater pressing member61 is lowered by means of the pressing member moving means. At thisstate, the heater 51 is activated, thereby sealing the vacuum packingbag.

In regard of a completed vacuum packing bag, a user may see the contentsof the bag 100 because the flat main body is not embossed.

As described above, the present invention provides a vacuum packing bag,capable of reducing manufacturing cost and preventing failure invacuumization by employing embossed interposition sheets.

In addition, the present invention provides a vacuum packing bag,capable of preventing the discharge of powder contents, reducing itsthickness, allowing a user to see its contents and easily printing atrademark or design on the bag by employing flat main body.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention have beendisclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventionas disclosed in the accompanying claims.

1. A vacuum packing bag, comprising: a tubular, flat main body, saidmain body having upper and lower portions; and at least one embossedinterposition sheet, a side end of a said at least one said embossedinterposition sheet being bonded along a bonded region of said upper andlower portions when each said at least one embossed interposition sheetis interposed between said upper and lower portions; wherein each saidat least one embossed interposition sheet is approximately half or lessof said main body in width.
 2. The bag according to claim 1, whereineach said at least one embossed interposition sheet is made of materialthat is easily bonded to said main body.
 3. The bag according to claim2, wherein said each said at least one embossed interposition sheet ismade of at least one of polyethylene, high density polyethylene andpolypropylene.
 4. The bag according to claim 1, further comprising acalendar date on a surface of said main body.
 5. The bag according toclaim 4, wherein said calendar date indicates a date on which contentsof the bag are packed therein.